LIFE Interrupted

Sophie sat up and Josh’s hand dropped to his side. “What did she say to you?”

“I’m going to my room. I expected you to understand.”

Sophie chuckled at his frustration. Josh had never liked being the disciplinarian. She ran her hand over her head. She still wasn’t used to feeling the soft fuzziness that was her hair not really trying to come in yet because chemo kept it like this.

Josh leaned over and kissed her. “How are you?”

“Peachy Josh.”

He chuckled which made her roll her eyes. “No one else has gotten sick that is a blessing. I was worried about our parents or Kai getting this. Father Paddy since he braved my germs too.”

“That is what he does,” Josh replied.

“So, what’s for dinner?” Sophie asked.

“You’re actually eating something other than oatmeal?” He teased her. He got up from the bed pulling his shirt from his pants.

“I don’t know what I can eat but I’d like to try. Did you know Madge called, she changed my chemo appointment to three weeks from last Friday instead of two?”

Josh explained that he had talked to Doctor Roberts while she was

sick. She was concerned about Sophie’s reaction to the chemo. “You’re getting too weak. She wants you to have more recovery time.”

“That’s what Madge said.” She was excited about that prospect. She hated the way the chemo made her feel. “I’ll sit with you in the kitchen while you make dinner.”

Josh glanced over his shoulder. “I’d like that, Sophie.”

She climbed out of bed and grabbed a sweater to put on. She couldn’t shake the cold feeling in her bones. They went to the kitchen together, the puppies following along behind them.

Sophie sat at the breakfast table near the window. It was almost December, today was warm for Ohio but she liked it.

“Maybe I could walk a little outside while the weather is warm. The puppies would like that.” She was looking outside.

“Whatever makes you happy, Sophie.” Josh glanced up from what he was doing.

“What are you making?”

“That fettucine alfredo recipe my mom made. Remember?”

She nodded. Kind of rich. She didn’t know how her stomach would handle it, but she always had her fallback. Rice pudding or oatmeal.

“Micki’s mom is in the hospital,” she told him.

“What’s wrong?” He asked stirring the pot of noodles.

Scary, how their parents were at that age when anything could happen to them. She worried about them. Since cancer, she knew how fragile life could be.

“They are running tests on her. Possible heart attack,” Micki said. “John’s been taking care of the kids.”

“He has his hands full,” Josh replied.

“He does. Before cancer, we would have helped him.”

She sounded sad. Sophie wanted to help her friends, but Micki had told her that just listening to her cry was all the help she needed right now. Micki’s dad had passed away five years ago from a heart attack. He was only sixty-eight then.

Micki had the oldest parents of their group of friends. They had her later in life. An oopsie baby they had called her. The youngest of eight children. A typical Catholic family not like hers and Josh’s. He was an only child while she only had Ross.

“Your mom and dad are helping Kai with Alexander since Micki has been at the hospital so much.”